<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>104.3 by InsomniacCoffee</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28803189">104.3</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsomniacCoffee/pseuds/InsomniacCoffee'>InsomniacCoffee</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Pile of Ashes [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Metalocalypse (Cartoon)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Driving, Fluff, Kinda, M/M, Pre-Dethklok</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:48:27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,390</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28803189</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/InsomniacCoffee/pseuds/InsomniacCoffee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p><strong>Tumblr Prompt:</strong>"Pull Over. Let me Drive for a while."</p><p>Until Dethklok makes a name for themselves, Charles has to be the one driving them to shows. It's not entirely bad though.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Charles Foster Offdensen/Pickles the Drummer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Pile of Ashes [7]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1972474</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>11</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>104.3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Does this count as the first chickles fic of the year- I think it does- anyway happy (late) new year! :D </p><p>Requested by anonymous! For clarification, this would be set probably a few weeks after they got Toki.</p><p><strong>Date Posted:</strong> June 25, 2020<br/><a href="https://insomniac-pens.tumblr.com/post/621955665961926656/1-chickles">Original Post</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>As glamorous as it would be to one day not have to be the designated driver it, unfortunately, was not the day for Charles. Dethklok’s first album was just weeks away from being released and the record label it would be a good idea to hype up some publicity by doing some tours in local venues. And by local venues, they meant local states. </p><p>Charles and the tour manager had done some numbers with the budget they were given and while it was substantial, it wouldn’t be enough to hire a tour bus and a driver. Even though the record label was more than kind, there were just some things that the band had to put with for being completely new with a small dedicated audience. Much like any other band, they had to prove their worth.</p><p>The tour manager, who was more of an old college roommate that he hired to help, was already ahead of them as was part of the plan. He would be setting things up and making sure the venue would be ready when it would be their time to perform. All that was left was for Charles to drive them to and fro venues and hope that things would be going smoothly. They couldn’t afford any more delays or mistakes. Any mistakes and their careers could already be finished before they even got a shot.</p><p>So Charles was unfortunately tasked with having to drive through the night to make up for the lost time. Apparently, there were a few deaths from their latest concert that had resulted in them having to be delayed by a few hours, and Charles had to sign paperwork with the venue. God, he hoped these random deaths weren’t a recurring thing for them.</p><p>The band at least was able to rest thanks to the rented RV. The beds weren’t exactly luxurious and neither were the couches but at least it provided a place to sleep. The only sound was the radio he had on to keep him awake and so far, it was doing the job. </p><p>He was frequently on the seek button as he couldn’t quite decide on a particular station. Spanish music, classical, top hits, and he eventually settled on an 80s music station. They had entered the barren parts of California where the road was just endless and there were no other cars or even trees to look at. It would be easy to just fall asleep and to say he was tired wasn’t a lie. He couldn’t pull over and rest himself though; he could do that when they reached their destination and only had to wait until evening to perform. For now, he just had to power through.</p><p>He had heard a noise in the kitchen but didn’t say anything. There was no arguing so he didn’t pay much mind to it. The noise was surprising and had at least pumped some adrenaline from how it disrupted the silence. Thankful for whoever was still up, he decided to not tell who it was to go back to sleep just yet. After a few minutes, he heard footsteps approaching and saw it was Pickles who had one of those to-go coffee cups, “I figured ya might need it. No worries, it’s just coffee.”</p><p>Charles glanced at Pickles and gave him a small smile as he used one hand to take the cup. It wasn’t too hot at all but warm enough. He didn't consider himself much of a coffee connoisseur but it was easy to tell it was instant coffee. He did add milk and sugar at least so it made the taste more bearable and something he definitely needed, “Thank you, Pickles. I really needed that.”</p><p>“No problem, chief,” He grinned at him as he sat down in the passenger seat, “Driving for so long is pretty tough, I get that.”</p><p>“You were…ah, a truck driver once, weren’t you?”</p><p>“Yeah, surprised ya remember that.” He chuckled, “Didn’t last long. Got too drunk.”</p><p>“Well, to be fair, it was all over the media at a point. I’m actually surprised you didn’t lose your license entirely.”</p><p>“Ah, just the truck one. I still got my regular license. I can get my way around some ways still, y'know,” He answered with a wink. He listened to the radio in between the comfortable silence before immediately recognizing the song, “Oh God, this is one of my songs!”</p><p>Charles smiled at Pickles’ discomfort, “Well, it’s a good song. It’s a pretty popular one, at that.”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, but it’s like someone reminding ya of those class photos ya’d take as a kid. All awkward an’ shit.”</p><p>“I guess I can see that, but I did really like this song back in the day if I have to be honest.”</p><p>“Oh, did ya?” Pickles seemed to quickly get rid of his embarrassment, now completely interested, “I know ya told me before I never really thought ya'd actually like my older stuff.”</p><p>“What can I say? You were-you were really all over the place,” He mused, “It didn’t help you had a nice voice.”</p><p>“God, ya really think so? Was that all; just my voice?” He teased.</p><p>“Well, I suppose that was one factor.”</p><p>“And what was the other?”</p><p>“Your hair.”</p><p>“You tease!” Pickles gasped and Charles laughed.</p><p>“Don’t worry; your hair looks good on you now, too.”</p><p>“It was a pain maintaining that hair back then, I’ll tell ya that.”</p><p>It ended up turning into a ten-minute conversation about hair of all things. Mainly just Pickles ranting over how people didn’t really know how to treat his hair back then so clearly it played some factor in him losing his hair. As the night dragged on and the hours ticking by, Charles was getting more tired and it seemed like the coffee wouldn’t help, “Can I ask you something?”</p><p>“Yeah.”</p><p>“Why did you work as a truck driver, to begin with?”</p><p>“Honestly? Just wanted to drive. Didn’t care where. Just wanted to get away for a while.”</p><p>Charles definitely understood that, “And do you miss that job?”</p><p>He shrugged, “Nah, I wouldn’t have gone back even if this band fails and I still had my license. It got too quiet. But the stars, miss seeing those constantly.”</p><p>Admittedly, Charles didn’t really miss the stars as it brought too many memories. Memories he’d rather forget about. He was able to see the stars because of the lack of light pollution and only seeing it with Pickles did he understand why he missed them, “They are nice to look at.”</p><p>Some Cinderella song played as they fell into a comfortable silence. He took a look at Charles to see that he yawned and took a sip of the coffee.</p><p>“You tired?”</p><p>“Just a little; I’ll rest when we get there.”</p><p>Pickles fell silent for a few moments before deciding, “Pull over. Let me drive for a while.” </p><p>“Pickles, you don’t have to-“</p><p>“No, no, I insist. Besides…we’ll be there by morning and our gig doesn’t start till six, right? I can just sleep in the morning.”</p><p>It took some convincing but Charles eventually pulled over and put the RV in park. The two stepped outside, for the first time in quite a few hours, and just paused when they looked at each other. They were able to see because of the RV’s headlights as there were no streetlights for miles to come.</p><p>“I ah, really appreciate it, Pickles.”</p><p>“It’s not a problem.”</p><p>Pickles kissed him before he went to the driver’s seat. It was a quick kiss on the cheek but it was enough to get their faces flushed and hearts beating. Even though they had mutually agreed that dating wasn’t the best idea at the moment with their careers still so new, what harm would kissing him be in the middle of the California desert at near three in the morning?</p><p>Charles returned to his passenger seat a few moments after, “Hey, Pickles?”</p><p>He leaned over to Pickles, and kissed him briefly on the lips, “Thanks, again.”</p><p>“You’re welcome,” He smiled, “Now get some rest.”</p><p>Charles had found himself falling asleep pretty quickly. The last sounds he heard before he fell asleep were the tires against pavement, a Guns N’ Roses song, and Pickles quietly singing along to it.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>